A Sage's Tale
by BlueSalem
Summary: In a time after the Twilight Era, Castion must carry on his family's tradition as normally as he can. An unwilling hero that ends up becoming more than just a side character in another person's story; he will find that nothing is what it seems and there's always more than one path to take. We've all heard one side, let's hear another now.


**Prologue**

After the migration from the skies, the sky bound population relocated to the new earthy terrain. They settled in an open land, green and vast. There they began a new town, which, after several generations evolved from a mayor ruled city to a vast, reaching kingdom led by the ancestors of the goddess. A king was put in place and it became customary to name the first-born child after the goddess' first vessel – Zelda. In honor of the first king, the kingdom was named Hyrule, and has thrived; however, our story begins in another kingdom.

Among any kingdom are those who do not enjoy the rule they are given. After the tale of The Great Migration became merely stories for bedtime, a group of nomads left Hyrule and went into the desert. Among themselves and the Hyrulians, these people became known as the Gerudo clan. The name derives from the first family to settle in the desert. Led as a matriarchy, the Gerudos struck out for themselves in the vast sands they named Gerudo Valley. Soon, their appearances became vastly different from the Hyrulians. Their skin became dark and tanned and the red hair, the latter evolved from a firm diet of cactus juice and red fruits commonly found in the valley. Their main exports became weapons of varying degree to the Hyrulian kingdom. The Gerudos also created their own force dubbed the Gerudo Guard populated by the oldest sons and head of house.

When Zelda the Generous was born, the Hyrule declared peace with all the separate nations. The Hyrulian Force and the Gerudo Guard went into a hiatus. Because of this peace, the Economy of the Gerudo people faltered and a new action had to be taken. The weakest of the Gerudo men and their oldest sons, if they had any or if they were old enough, were to go out and recollect their nomadic roots as merchants to the kingdoms. This began the Gerudo race sub-division of the Lotas. Going out into the world, they were to use their different skills to make a profit in which a third would go to their families and another third to the Gerudo nation. Unlike original Gerudos, Lotas men's skin colors became paler and more yellow due to the lack of harsh sun. Merchandise varied between the Lotas. Some sold rugs, others sold fine trinkets, and one sold hand made masks.

When Zelda the Generous was ten years old, the commander of the Gerudo Guard was called into Hyrule, it was around this time that the Happy Mask Salesman, a Lotas man who would become famous and infamous all in one, opened the first owned store in Castle Town. This was also around the time that the legendary "Hero of Time" met Zelda the Generous, beginning his long journey to inevitably save Hyrule and all the other kingdoms. This particular Lotas man went on to sell his wares with the help of this hero, or as the story goes. It was after the threat, shaming, and banishment of the Gerudo Guard Commander Ganandorf, that the Happy Mask Salesman disappeared from Hyrule. Though his physical appearance vanished, the money to his family and his nation never stopped. In his family, it became a tradition to sells masks in his honor, in hopes that it too would bring great fortune. He became a legend of his own in the Gerudo and Lotas alike.

Years later, after Zelda the Courageous called upon a the Hero of Times relative and helped diffuse the Twilight War with the help of the Twilight Princess-Midna, all was calm again. Even then, the Happy Mask lineage was strong. His farthest relative has just began his own journey into fame, and this is where the story begins.

**Vash Bridge**

He had started his day at dawn, and now the moon was halfway across the sky. Castion stretched his arms over his head and yawned; making his horse, Hubbard, veer off course a bit and knocking his own cart into a caravan wagon. As he quickly grabbed the reins, he heard a voice from behind him, "Can't see with that mask on, can you Boy?" It was a mercenary hired to help protect the caravan, or so that was what Castion could tell. His clothes were a bit tattered and his face was cleaner than most, but it was the chain-mail and sword that gave it away. Castion sighed and went back to focusing on the road ahead. "I was talking to you!" the man yelled. Castion turned his head and nodded.

"What, can I help you?" he tried to ask without any point to his words. It wasn't smart to make enemies with the people protecting him. The man pointed at Castion's head, undoubtedly gesturing towards the mask he was wearing. "This? What about it? It's a mask, that's all," Castion went to turn his back again, but the mercenary sped up to his side.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"What's with the mask? Why're you wearin' it?" The man was awfully nosy, or at least to Castion he was. The man kept staring at him, expecting Castion to do something.

"I want to that's all," he spoke, trying to brush off the man's inquisitive nature. Castion didn't like to take off his mask. People didn't respond well to his fiery red hair or olive colored skin. They saw him as a foreigner, a stranger, a Latos. He hated that most of all. Sure there was nothing _wrong_ with it, but it still burned him. The mercenary still hadn't left though.

"That's really strange, Kid; you know that, right? I mean, who wears a mask in the dead of night? You can't be able to see in it, can you? Your vision has to be bad. Are you blind? Nah, you can't be, you're ridin' a horse. C'mon!" he was really persistent. Castion felt his hands tighten on the reigns.

"I sell them. I sell masks, so I wear one as sort of a... promotional display. Get it? Like, if you sold perfume, you'd wear it right? Or say you had some fruit, you'd eat it to show it's delicious," it was half true at least.

"Oh, yeah. I get it, but that can't be good for your eyes, can it? Go on and take it off. No one will know you did it. We're the only two back here," the mercenary nudged his horse a bit, making Hubbard shift. The old horse really had no balance. Castion was getting increasingly aggravated, but he could tell this man wouldn't leave him alone until he got to see Castion's face. Carefully, Castion reached up and pulled the mask off one-handed. It had no strings or clips to hold it, but it was made to precisely sit and cling to his face alone. As soon as the mask came off, the hair that had been smoothed back by the porcelain rolled out from under the hood of his cloak. Even at night, the moon turned his crimson hair into what looked like blood. A color he hated beyond all else.

The mercenary whistled and looked surprised. Castion turned his head to see the man better. He was tall, much taller than Castion was. Even on a horse, Castion was only two feet higher than the mercenary. With the moon's light, Castion saw how tan and tired the man looked. He began to wonder where this solider-for-hire got his energy from. It gave him the feeling of a much older man than Castion had originally thought he was. "Are you happy now? I took off my mask for you," Castion sat his mask in the groove between him and the knob on the saddle. He then turned back to the road.

"You're a Latos aren't you? I haven't seen your kind in a while. I thought you'd all gone back to Gerudo Valley," the mercenary quickly announced.

"My name is Castion. Don't call me a Latos, not here," Castion felt himself visibly cringe at the remark and in turn the man seemed flustered.

"Oh, right, yeah. I'm sorry. So, if you're a... You know, Castion, then what are you selling?"

"I already told you. I sell masks. Are you slow?"

"Hey! I meant what kind. You don't have to be rude about it," a bump in the road made Castion's cart knock into the man. He stumbled before catching his ground again.

"Only if you tell me your name Solider-For-Hire."

"Rathos."

"Hand made porcelain and wooden masks are what I sell, and I sell all kinds. They can only be custom though, not like the old days. This is an art now," Castion felt a twinge of pride in his chest. An art was how he liked to see it instead of a dead-end career. Rathos nodded his head and rubbed his scruffy chin. "What?" Castion asked.

"It's just different. I thought Latos only sold useful items, like rugs or pots. You know?" Castion turned and gave a cold look, "No, I mean, uh, I'm sorry?"

"Masks are useful, Rathos, and I'm the only one who makes them. It runs in my family. In any case, selling them is why I'm with this caravan in the first place. Kakariko Village has their harvest festival in a few days and I can make a lot of rupees there," Castion sat back on his saddle and sighed at the thought. He couldn't wait for some pumpkin soup and hot tea. It sounded heavenly.

Rathos nodded again and peered around the side of the wagon in front of them. "Well, we should be there by day break, we're coming up on the Vash Bridge now. After that, it's to the north east and viola! We're there!" he clapped his hands together and Castion sat back up. Another few hours and they'd be there. That was a good thought.

The bridge was a long one, stretching between the two cliffs that aligned the mighty Vash River below. A good few hundred foot drop into a icy river that eventually ran off into Lake Hylia. As they came upon it, Castion wondered if Zoras would be traversing the chilly coves at this late hour. He'd only seen one once in his life. Even if the actual river was so far down, the waters were clear enough and the moon bright enough to give away any living thing below. Castion pulled on the reigns to stop Hubbard as the caravan came to a halt. "What's going on?" Castion wondered aloud.

"Well, I think the people up front are trying to get some skittish animals along. We have a traveling, performing troupe with us tonight. You know, like acrobats," Rathos explained easily. Castion craned his neck to see around the wagon ahead. He was tired and this hold up could take a while. He felt like an upset child, waiting to sleep but couldn't.

After a few minutes, Castion pulled his horse aside and went around the wagon. Rathos ran after him, not wanting to lose his conversation buddy. As he got closer to the front, Castion could see many animals being led across the bridge. A cart of monkeys and a few bigger ones like a horse with a covered cart went across. On the other side of the bridge were some Gorons receiving the animals, while at the mouth of the bridge three Hylains were urging them forward. Castion pulled his cart up to one as they paused for a breather, "Excuse me, but could I get across really quick? I have a schedule and I'm afraid if I wait any longer, I'll pass out from exhaustion." The three looked at him blankly and then to each other. He'd forgotten he didn't have his mask on.

"We can't do that, it wouldn't be fair for the others waiting," a portly woman with an apron tied way too tight around her waist said.

"You can't be skipping the lines, boy. Besides, your kind aren't known for being late for anything that involves money. Wait your turn," a lanky man with a pointy looking beard snorted. The third merely looked at him. Castion could see they were about the same age. He was a typical Hylain with big blue eyes and blonde hair. Those wide-eyed stares made Castion's skin bump, like this boy was looking into him, but that wasn't the only thing that made Castion's skin rise. The man had insulted him subtly, and no one had said anything. Why should they? It made his blood boil. His knuckles turned white from clutching the reigns so tight. The older Hylains had turned away, fretting with the ropes on another cart to shove across. The boy merely stared at Castion, making his next decision much easier to make. He looked across the bridge to make sure the other animals were safe on the other side. He may be in a hurry, but he wasn't stupid.

Rathos came up beside him, away from the other Hylains, "Don't do it Castion. I can see it in your eyes, don't get in trouble now," but Castion only heard muffled echos. Taking one last glance back at the others, he kicked Hubbard's sides and went crashing onto the bridge. Rathos couldn't decide whether to laugh at his impatience or be worried for his foolishness. Either way, Castion knew he'd inspired some reaction out of the entire group.

He was at the middle now, taking his sweet time across. They didn't dare stop him and they didn't dare send another cart of animals, but that didn't stop them from yelling at him. He would have his way and just high-tail it towards Kakariko when he got to the other end. He didn't want to rush Hubbard too much, for the horse, just Castion's luck, was terrified of heights.

As he walked along, the moon's light seemed to wane a bit. At first, Castion thought it a trick of night, but before long he noticed a fog rising from the Vash river. Castion craned his neck over the side of the bridge, trying not to fall off his horse. The fog was coming from under the bridge, but it didn't seem to be actually coming from the river. Castion furrowed his brow at this. When he looked up he could see the Gorons staring at him. He couldn't read their expressions though. The hard creatures always seemed to have a doughy stare, but what did catch his attention was the smallest one; he was pointing at towards Castion. He smirked, knowing full well that he'd tricked the Hylains, and he felt a sense of pride again in his chest. "I promise not to bother anymore. Keep my rupees and I'll just continue onto Kakariko by myself!" he yelled at them, but they didn't seem to respond. He noticed, off-handed, that the Hylains on the other end had stopped yelling. Castion figured he was too far ahead to still hear them though.

Hubbard stopped at the edge of the bridge, prancing across the last wooden plank like a skittish child. Castion tried to kick the horse ahead, afraid the Gorons would try to grab him, but they didn't move and Hubbard refused to. "What's wrong with you?" Castion growled and tried to coax his horse forward, but it refused. Castion looked up at the Gorons to make sure they weren't going to reach out, but they still hadn't moved. It was then he noticed that the smallest Goron wasn't pointing at him, but rather behind him. Castion arched and eyebrow and turned thinking the Hylains had sent another cart after all and they were scared it would break the bridge. As he turned, a gust of fog washed over him. It smelled like rancid meat and old hay all at once, a very unusual scent for fog. When his eyes stopped watering, he tried to see through it, but to no avail. It was dense, or seemed to be, and moved like thousands of snakes before him. He felt fear rise in his throat, but Castion dared not look away. Through the fog a yellow light bounced forward, then another. They seemed to dance in unison and flicker together. After they came, another gust of fog bellowed forth, this time-Castion gathered-from a hole in the slithering mists. He gulped, terror gripping at his soul. What was he seeing? A demon? A new form of monster? What was he to do now!?

Castion tried to kick Hubbard again, this time as inconspicuously as possible, but still the horse did not move. The fog rolled around Castion, engulfing him, and the lights from before came closer. As they neared his face, the feature that had once been hidden became visible at last, and Castion almost fell off his horse in fright.

A face, grotesque and squirming, forced itself forward and whispered. The language was lost to Castion, but he felt something pull at him. His stomach lurched as the thing drew nearer. He could see it more clearly now. It was made of the slithering mass that surrounded him, and it gained and lost features as he watched its lips move. He felt compelled to lean towards it, but his position on the horse kept him from doing so. Something felt wrong, more wrong than he had felt ever in his life, and he couldn't seem to pull away from it. The creature's words poured over him much like the mist had originally. It was suffocating, but he still could not get Hubbard to move. When the face was merely inches away, the mist vanished. Castion looked around, but could not find any trace of it anywhere. The feeling of bad still lingered, but he wouldn't. Almost as quickly as the mist appeared and left, Castion was soon galloping away from the bridge. Past the Gorons and into the Rocky passageway that led to Kakariko Village. He shoved the thought back into the pit of his mind and focused on getting pumpkin soup. He didn't want to think about the mist and sure as hell didn't want to think about the traveling caravan that had to cross the bridge after him. "I did them a favor," he said out loud, as if to reassure his statement to himself and to the empty air around him.


End file.
